Hey everybody. I have some questions. I have a 99 F150 4x4 that needs new brakes and rotors. Are there any special tools that I will need to replace the rotors? Any tips and tricks I need to know to replace them? I looked at a Chilton manual in Checker today, and it had no information about how to replace them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
TC

 

This subject has been discussed at length here in the forums. I suggest you utilize the search feature to find all the posts. There will be no shortage about the subject.

 

I did that, thanks. I'm sure it has been covered a lot, but I don't have 10 years to go through all the posts to find it.

 

Alright, then. Here it is in a nutshell. No special tools needed.

Pull wheels, remove calipers, pull off rotor (if you're lucky it'll pull right off, only the caliper holds it on - otherwise search "stuck frozen rotor"), remove pads, reverse process. Here's a tip, use a C-clamp to push the pistons back into the caliper and watch out for overflowing brake fluid out of the reservoir. IIRC, the caliper bolts torque to 136 lb-ft. It's a straight forward job.

 

Thanks Rikster. The only reason I was concerned was that I owned a Bronco II and it was a pain to remove the rotors, and had to have a special wrench to do it. One other question. The lady at the parts counter said that there are no front wheel bearings, just a new axle or at least a half axle. Is this correct? Is that the only way that bearings are replaced?

Thanks,
TC

 

After doing all the obvious things, clean the rust off important areas with a wire bristled wheel in a die grinder. Antisieze points on the pad and caliper that contact, kinda where the caliper print in the pad is, as well as the piston part of the caliper where the pad touches there. Antiseize the tips of the pads where they ride on the slider and antiseize the slider where these tips rest. IMPORTANT- the little tabs on the slider that can be bent must be folded around the caliper bracket so they don't slide and grind on the rotor, trust me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Avoid getting antiseize on the rotor or pads face, hard but be careful. I wish I could explain better because I've done this (it seems) a thousand times or more. Good luck. The lady at the counter is correct.

 

Wheel bearings are not like you're used to on your Bronco II. They are sealed units that are part of the hub like on front wheel drive cars. If the bearings aren't growling when loaded (taking turns at speed), then they don't need to be replaced.

 

Glad someone told you the answer. No special tools required for brake pads and rotors on 4x4 F-150's.

Rikster made a point you are missing. The whole point of the search function is to not take 10 years reading every post on this board. A search for "special tools"in the brakes forum found me the answer to your question in 1 miunute, much shorter than the 2 hours you waited for a response.

 

okay... i've done the search option and have no luck STILL... this is the closest thread I've found... Despite what everyone says my rotors refuse to come off and by looking at them (forever) it looks as though the only way to get them off and new ones on is to take the hubs off... am I wrong with this assumption? Mine's a 91 f150 4x4 w/ auto-lock hubs

 

The 1991 is a whole different hub, rotor, caliper, etc. system. The '97 - '03 F-150 4x4 was what was originally covered here. I believe (if memory serves me correctly) that you have the old "take the bearings out to get the rotors off" system.

 

91 F150:

Take the auto hub locks out. Get a special socket to remove the wheel bearing lock nuts. Remove the caliper, then remove the hub/rotor assy. Knock out the wheel studs and the rotor will separate from the hub.

 

Ditto. There are no special tools, althogh you may have a very difficult time removing the front rotors if they've never been off. The back face of the rotor corrodes to the face of the hub. Anti-sieze on the replacements will prevent it from happening again, but won't make the job any easier this time.

As for the search, a quick search for 'special brake tools' turned up this thread, as well as :
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools
and
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools
and
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools
and
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools
and
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools
and
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...al+brake+tools

The search function on this site is quite useful.

-Joe

 

I just did my front brakes this last weekend, and here are a couple of tips that 2stroked gave me....

1) if you have a 'frozen' rotor, take a small hand sledge and hit the face of the rotor, rotate the rotor 1/4 turn and keep repeating this until the rotor loosens itself from the hub. Then you can hit it from the backside to remove it. This may seem like you are pounding the rotor onto the hub, but trust me it works very well

2) make sure to clean and lubricate with the proper lubrication your slider bolts (the ones that the caliper bolts go into). They just pull out from the caliper bracket that you need to remove to replace the rotors and the pads.

3) as mentioned before, use a high temp anti seize on the hub where the rotor sits.

As for tools, you will need a 13mm socket for the caliper bolts, 18mm socket or wrench to remove the bracket bolts. A large flat head screwdriver, hand sledge and a c-clamp to compress the pistons back into the caliper.

Good luck!!!!

 

I ended up cutting mine off with a sawzall. This was after I hit the first one for two hours with a 5 pound sledge